Coming Home
by whenifallxx
Summary: When Tenten receives a letter from an old friend, one reminding her of the very past she left behind, what other choice will she have but to keep her promise? "We all made a pact, Tenten, and after all this time... he's finally coming home. Will you?"
1. Chapter 1

**Coming Home**

the letter

-

_I felt for sure last night that once we said goodbye,  
no one else will know these lonely dreams.  
No one else will know that part of me.  
I'm still driving away, and I'm sorry every day._

-

-

Standard Disclaimer Applied

-

* * *

_'When are these people going to learn that my job isn't to run _them_, just the magazine' _Tenten Tanaka thought to herself, taking quick strides down the office building's hallway. She was traveling from her private office – a spacious room protected by soundproof walls – to one of the writers on the other side of the floor.

"Tenten!" someone called, sounding quite alarmed. Hardly acknowledging it, she glanced towards the source of the voice. Ah, one of the interns.

"Good evening, Lisa. Aren't you leaving soon?" Tenten kept with her quick pace, and the small blonde followed after her.

"Well, I was going to leave an hour ago, but I wanted to run something by you first. I'm not entirely sure if I--"

"Lisa, did you know that in about a year – if you last that long – you'll be wishing death threats to all the interns who come up to you with questions that could easily be asked to someone else, or better yet, not even asked at all?"

Lisa's blue eyes enlarged as comprehension of the rhetorical question came upon her.

"Oh. Right, right."

"Have a good weekend," Tenten said, looking over her shoulder slightly as Lisa fell behind. "Poor girl might just make it through the month," she mumbled under her breath. Coming across a partially opened door, she knocked on it once, and then entered.

"Oh, Tenten, thanks for coming," the writer who she had been seeking out said breathlessly, sitting at a cherry oak desk, staring at the computer in front of her. Her name was Shelby Atkins, and she was one of Porcelain Magazine's best.

"Of course. What is it?" Tending to the vulnerable and needy writers was wearisome, but would prove worth it later on.

"Two hours ago Melanie came in and told me there was an ad-shift, and now I have to get this word count up, but I'm already past the second rough draft and I don't know how to just throw in more," Shelby told her exasperatedly.

An ad-shift was when the advertisement manager – Melanie – had to change around the position or placement of the ad, for whatever reason. If the size of the ad changed, it could completely throw the set up of the issue off, and everything would have to be rearranged. Including articles.

"Let me see the first draft you sent me," Tenten ordered, taking a stand behind the writer's chair.

"Oh, but you destroyed that one…" Shelby protested slightly.

"I destroy everything you send me. Come on, pull it up."

She complied, albeit reluctantly, and the first draft of the cosmetics-related article popped up onto the screen. With the eye of a well-practiced editor, Tenten scanned over it, finding any points that could be meddled with.

"Alright, take out the statistics paragraph and put it with an asterisk at the end," she started.

"Tenten, that'll make it shorter, not longer."

She ignored Shelby. "And then elaborate on the personal experience, giving more details on the 'before' so you can work up to the 'after' more dramatically. You have flawless skin, but no one knows that, so go into the gory details."

"Oh," Shelby breathed, envisioning how the article should progress with the edit.

"Try to get this draft done by eight, I'm leaving at nine."

With that, Tenten left the small office, returning to her own to deal with the rest of the end-of-the-day phone calls that she had put off for long enough.

**-x-**

After paying the taxi driver her fair, Tenten entered her apartment complex, greeting the doorman with one quick smile and a forewarning that she'd be ordering Chinese.

"Of course, Ms. Tanaka. Not a surprise, really," he had said. She hardly ever went out on Friday nights, unless it was for an appearance at some trivial party or club. More to that, she wasn't quite one to cook her own meals.

Tenten collected her mail from the deskman and hastily got into the elevator that would lead her up to her room at the tenth floor, eager to get into her pajamas and rest for the night. It had been another long day – or more accurately, another long _week. _Just like the one before it had been, as well as the one before that and the one before that.

DING! The golden elevator opened and the stylish brunette stepped out, quickly reaching her apartment door, unlocking it, entering through it, and dumping all of her stuff down on the table right beside it. And for the next few hours she relaxed – a bath, some TV, the Chinese food that finally came.

When midnight strolled around she figured it best to turn in. After taking care of the would-be leftovers, Tenten went back towards the door of her apartment, and grabbed her purse and pile of mail. Once back in the kitchen, she began to shift through all the envelopes.

Mixed in with the bills and the junk mail, was a simple white envelope addressed to her without a return address on the top left corner. She set the other mail down, and studied the front of this one.

_'Don't I know this handwriting from somewhere?' _Not bothering to dwell on it anymore, she flipped it over – and was surprised to see the address written on the back of the envelope. And even more surprised to see what it read.

**Sakura Uzumaki**

**516 Jackson Ave**

**Konoha, Ohio**

The first thing that flew to her mind was a sarcastic comment – _you mean she didn't divorce him yet? _But it was quickly overridden with the emotional surge. Of course the two had ended up together. Of course they had married. Of course they would live happily, ever after. She just wasn't a part of that picture anymore. So why were they mailing her? She opened it up carefully and pulled out the letter.

_Dear Tenten,_

_It's been awhile. Not much has changed in Konoha, but of course that isn't very surprising. With my pen scribbling across the paper right now, I so badly wish to tell you all of which has happened in the past few years. But I won't. There is something more important to deal with first._

_I am aware that we were only sixteen at the time, just teenagers with no real comprehension of what had just happened and what we were doing. But I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least try to contact you. I remember the day in such perfect detail, and I know what I promised. We all made a pact, Tenten, and after all this time… he's finally coming home._

_Will you?_

_Love always, Sakura _

She had to read the letter several times before she understood what it meant. All in one large, distasteful wave had the memory crashed upon her. For so, so long she had pushed all thoughts of that pact into the depths of her mind, and suddenly Sakura was writing about it like it had just been yesterday.

_'But it wasn't yesterday, it was nine years ago!' _

Almost a decade had passed since she made that promise. Could it still be valid? Well, if she wanted to be honest with herself – did its validness even matter? He was coming home. He was coming back to Konoha – for the first time since his dramatic exit all those years ago. Would she go…?_ 'Will you?'_

It didn't matter that the last time Tenten saw Sakura, her once dearest best friend, had been seven years ago on their high school graduation. She could still hear the girl's voice – woman, now – asking. 'Will you?' It would haunt her.

And not once did Tenten doubt that Sakura hadn't done it on purpose. This was as much as a sweet, innocent letter to a long lost-friend as it was a manipulative piece of paper. Tenten reread it a few more times.

_'Will you?'_

Well that depended on how much she could deny her curiosities – _she was a journalist, whom is she kidding?! _- and quell the guilt that would force its way into her mind.

_'Will you?'_

Tenten knew she wouldn't be sleeping well tonight.

**-**

**-x-**

**-**

Everyone deals with their nerves in a different way. For Naruto Uzumaki, it was movement. As he waited at baggage claim in the Dayton International Airport, he paced back and forth – not once sitting down and staying still. His mind was on tunnel-vision of one single fact: in just a few moments, his best friend would be coming through that gate. Those moments couldn't come fast enough.

"Naruto?"

Maybe he had been too focused on settling his anxious stomach because he hadn't even noticed the man approach him. The blonde whirled around to face the voice and set his eyes onto an all too familiar, but very different, face.

"Sasuke…"

There's a big difference between a sixteen year old boy and a twenty-five year old man. Naruto was going to have to learn to appreciate this difference – and Sasuke would have to, too. Both were looking at each other, noticing all the differences that stuck out overwhelmingly strong, as well as the subtle things that hadn't changed at all; like Naruto's wide, curious eyes or Sasuke's improper slouch with his hands positioned into his pockets.

"Sasuke!" Naruto repeated, finally over the shock. In that next second, he launched himself at the Uchiha, enveloping him in bone-crushing bear hug.

"Ugh, Naruto…" Sasuke mumbled sordidly, awkwardly pulling his hands out of his pockets, unsure what to do with them now. After a moment though, the tight grip on him was released. Naruto had on a warm, large grin.

"How you been, you bastard?" he asked excitedly.

"Good. Busy," Sasuke answered honestly.

"And you're happy? You better be happy. If you left us and you're not even happy, I'll have to hurt you," Naruto threatened. And, "Actually, I should be hurting you anyway. What the hell was all that about!?"

Sasuke had been prepared for this. When you don't even tell the person who you trust most in life with your real identity, there was bound to be problems when the truth surfaced.

"It's a long story," Sasuke said blandly.

"Yeah? Well, I've waited nine years to hear it."

**-x-**

Konoha was an extremely small town – the kind of town where you can't go anywhere without knowing someone, whether it was one of the check out cashiers at the small supermarket, or one of the teachers at the town's kindergarten through 12th grade school.

For as long as any of them could remember, it had been the seven of them. Naruto, the hyperactive jokester. Sakura, the sweet and polite girl who had been everyone's favorite. Sasuke, the quiet and stern one no one really understood. Tenten, the sharp and calculative brat. Shikamaru, the overly intelligent lazy-ass. Neji, the serious and focused athlete. And Hinata, the shy and reserved peacemaker.

Everything they thought they knew had been thrown up in the air when Sasuke Uchiha turned out to be an _Uchiha._ The last name hadn't been a coincidence. They had all been sophomores when one day he was there, and the next he wasn't. It was very likely that the world had stopped – and then right after, turned upside down.

Tenten had been absolutely furious with Naruto, positive that he knew something that none of the others did. Just that one notion had split the group into different parts. It took weeks before they were all calm and collected enough to sit and talk to each other. And by then, they had all seen the news. Sasuke Uchiha, heir of the Uchiha Corporation – finally taken out of a well hidden home so he could attend a fancy boarding school in Switzerland where he would learn anything and everything about business managing. Sasuke, of Konoha – a town of just one square mile - was now all across the news, papers, and magazines. Perhaps what hurt the most was that none of what they learned had actually come from him.

Life moved on – just like it always would. But things had been wounded forever, and it would never be the same as before. They were meant to be seven, not six. Sasuke's absence was always a gaping hole.

Eight years and ten months later, Sasuke emailed Naruto. How he had gotten the email and why he had even done it were two questions that hadn't yet been answered. But they could both wait. For now, everyone – excluding Tenten – had hope that maybe his return would fix those barely patched holes. Yes, it was more than one now. Because Tenten had left too. And they often wondered which of the two was the most unreachable.

**-**

**-x-**

**-**

It had been awhile since Tenten had left New York City. _Really _left, at least. There had been conferences in Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, LA, and even Paris. However, this was different. She had taken a week off of at work – which, only meant from actually attending the office. They'd still be calling her at all hours of the day, for the most miniscule of reasons. _Of course. _

Now she was boarding a plane to Dayton, a place she hadn't been to in seven years. The air would be crisper, not hazy from smog or pollution. It would be quiet too, since there'd be no city traffic. And it would be green, very green – beautiful, maybe.

She hadn't even responded back to Sakura. Sure, her flight was booked, as was her place at the closest hotel to Konoha, but she hadn't yet called the woman. How do you tell your old best friend that you're coming back to welcome home another abandoner, but wouldn't even show up for the most important day of her life – her wedding? Tenten wasn't usually the type to avoid a situation. She faced it head on, squashed it, and then dealt with it. Things with Konoha and its people were different though. It was her weakness, a part of her that could never grow strong. Walking straight towards such a thing, as if inviting the fragility to hit her all at once, made her uncomfortable as well as wary. All she could hope for was that her vow, to not let anything touch her once more, would be strong enough.

-

* * *

**Questions, Comments, Concerns?  
**

**Review Please :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Coming Home**

the pact

-

_In the brightest hour of my darkest day,  
I realized what is wrong with me.  
Can't get over you. Can't get through to you.  
It's been a helter-skelter romance from the start._

-

-

Standard Disclaimer Applied

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* * *

You just aren't a _girl_ if you haven't ever been to a sleepover. There doesn't have to be bra freezing – because who honestly does that? You might have a pillow fight, but it's only in movies where feathers actually come out. And you're only going to paint your best friend's toe nails if she wants you too, and why would she? She probably already has them done.

However, there is one thing that the public got right; calling the boy. When it's three o'clock in the morning and you're wide awake, and you somehow have his number, and you're stalling to press 'call'. You know he won't recognize your voice and the odds of him answering are slim, but you're still giddy and anxious to do it. All the girls refuse to be the one who actually calls him, but secretly, they really want to be the one to hear his voice first.

Tenten was different. She would roll her eyes, snatch the phone, and press call without even asking who it was. She had never felt that pulsating nerve rush through her, never known what it was like to feel so vulnerable while holding a phone.

It was only now, at age twenty-five, that she understood. Because there's excitement, and there's worry – but there's nothing like worried excitement. Sitting on the bed at her rented hotel room, with her cell phone in hand, all she had to do was press 'talk'.

Or she could put the phone down and pretend that she'd never received that letter in the first place. Now was the moment that mattered. As soon as she was on the phone, she wouldn't be able to back out. But she still could now.

'_Will you?' _

Suddenly Tenten realized that there had been a double meaning to those words.

**-x-**

**Nine Years Ago**

"Yeah well, Tenten still thinks that I'm holding on out you guys, so I don't even see why she should be here," Naruto remarked dryly.

"Because she's my best friend, because so are you, and because she was his too!" Sakura yelled exasperatedly. She was getting so sick of those two.

"'Best friend'. Do any of us even know what means anymore?" Tenten mumbled. It wasn't like she came here on her own free will.

A flash of pain crossed Sakura's face, but Tenten didn't acknowledge it. Her nerves were on fire, and she really just wanted out of here.

"Look, calm down," Shikamaru sighed. He gave Tenten a pitying look, and she frowned at him.

"W-why are we h-here again?" Hinata asked quietly.

They all looked over to her. It wasn't often that she spoke, especially in the times of late.

"Because," Sakura said, forcing her voice to be level. "Sasuke left. And even though he never told us, and it feels like he completely ditched us, we all know that he wouldn't have ever hurt any of us intentionally unless he had no control over the situation."

"And?" Neji scoffed. Did it matter if he didn't mean to? He still did.

"Well, I think we should do the only thing we can," Sakura answered, not intimidated by Neji's gaze. It's hard to be afraid of someone who has cradled you once while you cried.

"What's that?" Naruto asked, arms folded across his chest.

"Move on," Sakura whispered. "But promise to be here for him when he gets back."

There was a long moment of silence as everyone seemed to absorb that.

"What do we owe him?" Neji asked, breaking the moment.

"A lot. C'mon Neji, you know he gave you more than just pitching tips."

"Sakura, anything you say is biased. We all know how you felt about him."

Sakura looked like she was about to throw the closest thing she could reach at him, but Naruto spoke up.

"Neji, cool it. We're all upset. You don't have to take it out on her."

"Hngh."

"So," Shikamaru started. "A promise?"

"'I promise to be here when Sasuke gets back, and welcome him with open arms!'" Tenten mocked.

"No," Sakura scolded. "Just a promise to be here when he gets back, and to give him a chance to explain. A second chance for our trust."

Tenten blinked. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to give that to him again.

"How do we even know he's coming back?" Shikamaru asked, the only one logical enough to point out that obvious fact.

Hinata drew a quick breath, and then mentally reprimanded herself. Of course she shouldn't have been so naïve to as not even think of that.

"He will!" Naruto yelled immediately, but one look at Hinata, with her thoughts so clearly expressed on her face, and he stalled. "He will…?"

"Yeah," Tenten said bitterly. "Exactly."

"Let's not be dramatic," Sakura mumbled. "He has to come back some time. It might not be for awhile, but… eventually, he will. He loved this place, everyone could see that."

"Are you kidding me?" Tenten practically shrieked. "Sakura, don't be stupid. No one knew what the hell was going on inside of his head." Naruto look offended, and she shot him a look. "Unless Naruto wants to admit that Sasuke told him beforehand."

"HE DIDN'T! Why won't you believe me?" Naruto jumped up, this same old argument infuriating him.

"Tenten, can't you see how much this is upsetting him. Isn't that enough to make you realize that he honestly didn't know?"

"Because," Tenten ignored Sakura. "You weren't surprised."

Naruto blinked.

"Yeah, Sakura's right. You get furious whenever I accuse you of knowing something we don't. But not about him. Not about him leaving. He was your best friend, Naruto. He _left _us! He left you… and you never even flinched."

"… That's it? That's why you've decided to forget about everything I've ever done for you?" Naruto asked coldly, becoming serious. Which was rare. And powerful. "You don't understand, Tenten. You don't understand your own feelings, so don't try to fucking understand mine. Just because I didn't freak out like you did doesn't mean it didn't hurt me too."

At first she wanted to deny it. That she didn't freak out. That it wasn't hurting her. But of course it was, and she very much so _had. _She flipped out, she cried, she screamed, and she pushed everyone else away from her.

"So, get over it Tenten. Stop putting the blame on me, I wasn't the one that left you," Naruto finished.

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled – she couldn't stay in denial about Naruto, but she could about her feelings. "I don't need him."

"Of course you do. We all do," Sakura said softly. "But we'll have to move past it anyway. If we stay together, and help each other… it'll get easier, we'll be fine."

"I understand what you're trying to do," Shikamaru said cautiously. "But I don't understand why. It seems too troublesome. If he comes back, he comes back. We don't need to make a big deal about it."

"S-Shikamaru?" Hinata called out gently.

"Hinata." He looked at her.

"Do you remember when Kiba b-beat you up, back in seventh grade?"

"…Yeah."

"And how after that, he never m-made fun of you a-again?"

"What's your point, Hinata?" Shikamaru asked lightly.

"That I stayed after school that day, a-and I saw Sasuke… he told Kiba that he ever touched you again, he'd b-break his n-nose."

Shikamaru's head bowed down as he let her words sink in, and everyone else stayed quiet.

"I d-don't know about you guys, but I took him for g-granted… Whatever Sakura is p-proposing, I want to do it."

Neji stared at his cousin with a mild surprise, Sakura gave her a thankful smile, and Tenten turned away from her to fight back the burning sensation behind the lids of her eyes.

"So do I," Shikamaru said, looking at Hinata with a new form of respect.

"Same," the older Hyuuga sighed.

"Of course I will," Naruto said firmly.

"Obviously, me too," Sakura smiled sheepishly.

That left one more – Tenten. Everyone looked over to her.

"Yeah," she said crisply, not meeting any of their gazes.

"Okay," Sakura said with a deep breath. "This is a pact. For when he comes home. We'll be here for him."

"Yes," Naruto nodded, and the pain Tenten couldn't see before because he had hidden it so well was lighting up his eyes.

**-**

**-x-**

**-**

**Present**

Sakura was shaking so hard she had trouble putting the phone back onto its hook, but after a moment she finally had it placed. As soon as she did, she left the kitchen in effort to join Naruto and Sasuke in the living room. The two men were watching some baseball game, but with one glance at his trembling wife, Naruto had pressed the mute button and hopped up out of his seat.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly, already at Sakura's side with a hand resting on her shoulder.

"Nothing," she breathed out. "Nothing at all."

"Then what is it?"

Sasuke was watching them curiously, wondering what had shaken Sakura so.

"She called," Sakura whispered finally.

"She…?" Naruto started with confusion. Then it dawned on him, and his eyes grew very wide.

"Yeah. She's at Melmoir Hotel. She's…she's coming tonight."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh… Oh," he mumbled.

And then Sakura burst out in tears, crashing into Naruto's chest. He quickly enveloped her into his arms, blinking steadily in his own shock.

"She's coming back…"

Sasuke was aware of the emotional breakdown, but not in tune with it. He didn't think twice about voicing his question. "Who?"

Naruto turned his head to meet the eyes of his dear friend, a smile starting to sketch its way onto his lips. "Tenten."

With that one word, Sasuke began to understand that Sakura's tears were of shock, relief, and joy. But he didn't understand it, because he hadn't even known that she he left in the first place. After a moment or two, Sakura's tears seemed to subside, and she took a step back from Naruto to wipe her eyes.

"Sorry, Sasuke… I'm still an emotional weakling," she half-laughed.

He only shook his head once, an effort to tell her not to be apologizing.

"It was, uhm, Tenten… you do remember her?"

"Yes." Of course he remembered her.

"She moved," Sakura began to elaborate. "She left right after high school ended. She was accepted into NYU and went as soon as she could. We… we lost contact after that. All of us did, actually. I don't think any of us have spoken to her for a few years now."

Sasuke had a feeling that that wasn't a coincidence, but he also had a feeling that Sakura knew that too.

"But she's at Melmoir?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, she flew in last night."

"Took her awhile to call," he pointed out.

"She… she apologized. For not coming to the wedding." Sakura shot a nervous glance to Sasuke. "And, for only returning now that these circumstances turned up."

"Doesn't matter," Naruto shrugged. "It's good to know she's coming. How has she been?"

"Good, it sounds."

"Oh, yeah? What's she do for a living anyway? Is she seeing anyone? She hasn't married yet has she? I just can't picture that." Naruto had so many questions, many of them the same as the ones he had asked Sasuke. But Sakura only shook her head.

"I don't really know, Naruto."

"Hm. Guess we'll see tonight!"

Sakura nodded to him, and was overtaken by her thoughts. It would be so good to see her again.

**-  
**

**-x-**

**-**

For the first time since she took the job as Editor of Porcelain, Tenten was turning off her phone. It felt as if she were breaking a law, but she knew if the magazine needed her they would leave a message and in a few hours she could check it. In the mean time they'd be just finecalling Melanie or Selena or any of the other girls. They could hande things without her.

Sakura hold told her that they were eating dinner in a private room at one of the only fancy restaurants in Konoha – Moonlight Ave. All the same, Tenten had decided to wear an outfit on the more simple side. A pearl colored, pleated tube top with a straight-across neckline and unapparent empire waist, medium-wash denim hydraulic skinny jeans, and dark brown patent pumps with a round toe.

Gripping onto her bow-tie satchel handbag, Tenten walked down the corridor that the hostess had directed her to. Just a few more feet and she'd be with all of her old friends. The best friend she had abandoned, the good friends who had always been at her side, and the one friend who had left it. She could already hear the voices, but couldn't concentrate hard enough to hear anything that was actually being said.

There was no door to be opened or closed, so with one deep breath Tenten simply took a step from the hallway and into the room. Immediately her eyes washed over the place, taking in everything at once. There was a long table that ran along the side of the room, filled with a variety of different foods that she knew she wouldn't be hungry for. In just a few feet in front of her was a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a blue and white dress that she quickly calculated was probably only half of what her shoes had been. Well, she might have dressed simple, but she'd never dress cheap.

"Tenten…?"

She heard her name being called, so quietly that she hardly heard it. Instantly the grip on her purse tightened, and her knuckles couldn't have possibly turned any whiter.

The room went dead silent as all the eyes turned towards where she was standing, including the blonde woman who whipped around, revealing a man with short brown hair, a goatee, and deep brown eyes that stood behind her. Immediately Tenten recognized the set of the small mouth.

"Shikamaru."

As soon as the name escaped her lips, the man's mouth seemed to quirk up, a familiar smile on his face. He side-stepped past the blonde, and walked over to her; looking nothing but welcoming.

"Good to see you again, Tenten." She could hear in his voice that he really meant it.

"You… you cut your hair," was all she could manage to say.

"Yeah," he laughed. "Figured I had to grow up and get a job sometime."

"It looks nice."

"Thanks. Why don't you come in and say hello, eh?"

Tenten lifted her gaze off of him as he directed his hands to the others in the room. Unhesitatingly, one person stepped forward. A person with bright, vivid green eyes.

"Sakura," Tenten whispered. Her pink hair was gone – replaced by her natural strawberry blonde color, the one Tenten hadn't seen since fifth grade. She was wearing a peach and white striped long sleeved shirt and a blue Sunday skirt with lacy ends that reached her ankles. And, unless Tenten was seeing things, there seemed to be a little bump at her stomach…

"Sakura, you're pregnant."

"Yes, actually, I knew that."

In the next second she was being overtaken by a strong, wire-hard hug.

"I'm so glad you came!" Sakura whispered, sounding as if she were holding back tears.

"You…you're having a kid?" Tenten couldn't wrap her mind around the concept, and as Sakura pulled back from the hug, a large grin surfaced on the woman's face.

"Yes, it's going to be a little boy, can you believe it?"

"No," Tenten replied immediately.

A hearty laugh came from behind them, and a tall man stepped forward.

"Think he'll have my eyes or hers?" Naruto.

"Good question. Both would be exquisite," Tenten answered, attempting to follow his nonchalance. And her statement was true. Naruto had the largest blue eyes she ever saw, and Sakura had the prettiest green.

"Can I take your jacket?" he asked politely, grinning ear to ear.

"Yeah, sure." Tenten set down her purse under a chair to their right, and removed the brown satin comfort. He took it and placed it down on the same chair within one second, and overwhelmed her with another hug in the next.

"She doesn't have a ring, by the way," Naruto said as he pulled away.

Tenten's face transformed with confusion while Sakura laughed.

"We were just wondering if perhaps you had gotten married," Sakura explained.

She flushed and turned her gaze away from them. "You would have been invited…"

"And," Naruto intoned teasingly. "We would have come."

"Alright, alright," Sakura interfered with a laugh. "Leave her alone."

"What's up? What's new? How's life? How's New York? Still living in the big city aren't you? Ever seen a broadway performance? What about an opera? Or a Yankees game? Wow, what about a cross dresser?"

"Naruto, shut up. Let her see everyone first," Sakura sighed.

"Right, right."

"Hinata…Neji…" Sakura pointed to each person respectively, and once again Tenten was besieged with the site of old friends.

"Hello Tenten," the dark-haired girl smiled, not a hint of hesitation on her voice.

"Oh, Hinata... hello." A nervous laugh escaped her, and the two hugged.

"You're not pregnant too, are you?"

"Oh, heaven's no."

"Shame. A little you seems much less scary then a little Naruto."

The two laughed, and then Neji stepped towards her.

"You look good, Tenten."

Ah. The boy who had been like a brother to her, now a full grown man with – she really shouldn't be surprised by this now – his hair all chopped off.

"So do you, Neji, so do you," she smiled. This was getting easier.

Until she noticed_ him_, standing a little way off with his eyes fixed on her. The smile fell from her face.

"You disappoint," she said after a moment, and watched his one eyebrow raise delicately in question. "I was hoping to see a beard."

His lips twitched. "My bad."

Although her statement had been a lie – she probably would have died if he had grown any sort of facial hair at all – the joking had done the only ice breaking possible. It still wasn't enough.

"Oi, Tenten."

She turned to face Shikamaru, and for the first time really took notice to the blonde woman next to him. She did look familiar…

"This is my fiancé, Ino."

Her eye's bulged. "You're going to marry_ Ino_?" If her words were going to sound offensive to the blonde, she really just hadn't considered it.

"Well," he shrugged half-heartedly. "There are only so many women in such a small town."

"Hey!" Ino protested, amusement showing on her face. Not offended at all.

"Nah," he smiled lazily. "She's wonderful." He kissed his wife-to-be on the cheek, and Tenten found another thing that she couldn't quite understand. Ino had been the school slut, the annoying bitch no one wanted anything to do with. _'I guess things change, eh?'_

**-x-**

Naruto was teaching at the local high school, Sakura was one of the head nurses at the nearest hospital, Hinata was a manager at another restaurant, Shikamaru was an accountant, Neji was working in the City Council, and Ino was a bank teller. Sasuke, obviously, had taken the reins over on his father's company. They had all known that from the news.

"What are you doing for a living?" Hinata asked softly, taking a sip of her white wine.

"Oh," Tenten paused. "I work for a magazine."

"Which one? Do we know it?" Sakura asked, catching interest.

"Probably… it's a fashion magazine, Porcelain."

"Porcelain?! Really?" Ino exclaimed. "I have that on subscription."

"Yes, I've read it a few times before. You always did journalism, Ten; are you one of the writers?"

"Uhm, not exactly."

This was one of the reasons Tenten had to leave Konoha, had to get as far away from it as possible. It had a way of taking everything she was - and everything she was good at - and making a mockery of it. Making her feel stupid, and inferior – even though any others would see it in amazement.

"Oh? What do you do?"

"I'm the editor."

"Of the whole magazine?" Sakura gasped.

"Uhm, well, yes." She took a bite of her steak, avoiding any eye-contact.

Naruto wolf-whistled and she refrained from cringing.

"That's impressive," Neji commented.

"Just a job," she waved off and took a gulp of wine.

"An impressive one," Sakura disagreed. "You always wanted to be a journalist, it's good to hear that you've gone out and done it."

"I remember that one time she yelled at Mr. Hatake," Naruto recalled with a laugh.

"When was that?" Sakura asked, trying to remember.

"Ninth grade," Tenten offered with a smug smile that she just couldn't keep down. "He wanted to take me out of Geometry Honors and into regular, but it would have messed up my schedule and taken me out of journalism."

"So she flipped out on him, telling him that she'd rip out his tongue and sew his lips shut if he said anything to the counselor," Naruto added.

"I was a little angry."

"Oh, yes!" Sakura piped. "And then you failed math that year and had to take the course again online to get the credit."

"Well, yeah."

Everyone laughed – well, actually, Tenten wasn't sure if Sasuke had. She hadn't been paying any attention to him, and he was sitting on the other side of the table. She couldn't get herself to look over to him.

Before she knew it, Naruto had them skipping down Memory Lane, all the long lost memories being trudged up. And, Tenten had to admit, she hadn't laughed as hard as she was tonight in a very, very long time. Until Naruto remembered something that was better off forgotten.

"What about that one time you got gum in your hair and had to cut an inch of it off? I forget… who did that?" It was directed towards Sasuke. Reflexively, Tenten picked up her wine glass, as if it could hide her from everyone else.

"Tenten," Sasuke answered indifferently. _'Go ahead, asshole. Stay nice and calm about it.' _

Feeling everyone's eyes on her, she knew she couldn't keep drinking. So, she placed the glass down, determined to stay just as nonchalant as he had.

"Oops?" she said sarcastically.

"What was that all about anyway? I can't remember," Sakura mused.

"Just some fight," Tenten lied cleanly.

"What about?"

"Nothing any different the other ones," she shrugged.

That would be believable. The two had fought a lot. If one hadn't known that they were such good friends, they would have assumed they had either hated each other or were flirting shamelessly. Always with the insults, always with the yelling, always with the sarcastic teasing. It had been a love-hate relationship at its best.

"No," Sakura protested wonderingly. "You were bawling your eyes out in the girl's bathroom afterwards."

"Yeah, and you put a hole through your wall and broke your knuckles," Naruto added with a questioning glance to Sasuke.

Sasuke and Tenten looked to each other, both shocked at these revelations. So, that explained where Tenten had been the rest of that day, and that explained the bandages on Sasuke's hands. The way they were looking at each other wasn't revealing anything though, even the surprise that was within them.

"I don't remember," Tenten finally said with another bite of her steak.

"What about you?" Naruto asked.

"No," Sasuke answered.

And both of them weren't sure if the other one was lying… or telling the truth. Tenten didn't want to think about it.

**-x-**

It really _was_ beautiful here. The grass, the trees, the stars, the nature… it wasn't something you got to see in the city.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked, coming up behind her.

"Here," she answered honestly.

"And?"

"There," Tenten sighed. Maybe she was being too honest.

"You love it in New York."

"I really do."

"Then stop feeling guilty already," Sakura told her.

Tenten turned to face her, letting the wind blow her hair across her face without pushing it away.

"I hated him for leaving. I told myself I would never forgive him, and I'm still just as bitter. Now I realize, I left too. I should be apologizing, I should be in regret, I should be sorry. I should be down on my knees, begging you and Naruto and everyone to forgive me."

"Tenten," Sakura sighed. "You never understood. And you still haven't."

A blank stare was all she was given.

"It didn't matter that he left. It mattered that he had _been there_. And it's the same with you. Yes, you left. You broke my heart, Tenten. I can't deny that. You were my best friend and everything that entails with it. I never thought I'd ever have to live without your support, but you know what? Suddenly I _was_. I knew from the second you told me you were going, that very day you were accepted into NYU, that you wouldn't be coming back. I'm not stupid - this place isn't for you, it's just not good enough. But, I always knew that just because you were better, that you could be greater… didn't mean that everything in the past couldn't count anymore. It would always matter, and I would always remember all the times you had been there for me. You have to realize that."

The tears that were rolling down her cheeks were inevitable, and long held in.

"Oh, Tenten," Sakura murmured, taking the woman in for a hug.

"I'm so sorry - for everything."

"You were forgiven years ago," Sakura whispered back, tears also forming.

"I don't know if I can forgive myself," she choked out.

"No, no. Tenten there's a whole life ahead of you, don't dwell on the past. We had bad communication, and it was a mistake. But there's plenty of time to fix it."

There was a few moments where neither of them spoke, but only let all the tears out.

"And, you have to forgive him too, you know," Sakura added as her sobs calmed down.

"Sakura…"

"Don't 'Sakura' me. He needed you, probably more than the rest of us. Sasuke leaving had to of been just as hard for him as it was for you…"

A part of Tenten seemed to understand that, maybe even accept it. But the other part was still furious. He hadn't had to stay in Konoha, where there was no escape from all the reminders – every person, every building, every water fountain, every sidewalk… all of it had brought about memories. Memories of him. And thoughts of what had never been.

-

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**Questions? Comments? Concerns?  
(: I promise, Sasuke will be in the next chapter.**


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